Aji de Gallina (hen in yellow chili sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 large skinless hen breast (it could be replaced by chicken breast)
• 1 Kg. of boiled potatoes (approximately 2 lbs.)
• 6 minced garlic cloves
• 1 regular size onion in thick slices
• 3 tablespoons of aji amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chili paste)
• 3 slices of white bread soaked in 1 cup of milk
• 12 peeled roasted peanuts (it could be replaced by 1 tablespoon of peanut butter)
• 2 cups of cottage cheese (fresh cheese or mozzarella could be used)
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup of black olives (halved or pitted)
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 carrot in slices
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 lettuce leafs
• Parsley
• Salt

Preparation:

Place the hen breast, celery, carrot, garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium size pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the hen is tender. Remove the hen from the pot and shred it. Save the broth.

Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the minced garlic and onion until the onion is cooked. Add the aji amarillo and cook for two minutes stirring frequently. Put the mix in a blender, add the soaked bread, cottage cheese, peanuts and a teaspoon of salt. Blend until creamy, add a little bit of broth if too thick and salt if needed.

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan at medium-low temperature, pour the sauce and cook until the sauce starts boiling, stir frequently. Add the shredded hen and mix, add some broth if too thick. Cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently.

On each plate put a layer or two of potatoes cut in 1/2 cm. thick slices (approximately 1/4 in.), cover with plenty of sauce. Decorate with slices of hard boiled eggs, olives, lettuce and parsley.

Serve with white rice.

Matasca de Carne (beef and potato stew)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg of beef in small cubes (approximately 1 lb)
• 4 regular size potatoes in small cubes (1.5 cm or half inch cubes)
• 2 regular size diced onions
• 2 tablespoons of aji panca paste (it could be replaced by 1 tablespoon of ground paprika)
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 cup of peeled fava beans in slices
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 2 cups of beef broth (you can replace 1 cup of broth by 1 cup of corn beer or dark beer)
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of red vinegar

Preparation:

Pour the oil in a medium size pot and fry the meat at high-medium temperature. Add the onions, aji panca, cumin, garlic and salt. Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium-low temperature, stirring occasionally. Add the broth, vinegar, fava beans and potatoes, cover and let it cook until the potatoes are tender. Add the oregano and more salt if needed.

Serve with white rice.

Arroz Graneado (white rice)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of white rice
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 or 3 whole allspice berries
• Water according to how you cook it

Preparation:

In a rice cooker:
In a small skillet or pan put the oil and garlic, slightly brown the garlic and then pour the mix to the rice cooker. Add the washed rice, salt, allspice and water. Mix all ingredients and cook according to your cooker instructions.

On the stove:
Put the oil, garlic and salt in a pot at medium temperature until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the washed rice and stir for one minute. Add the allspice and pour 3 cups of water. Set the temperature to high until the water starts boiling then lower it to medium-low until the water evaporates.